Best available copn



R. F. DOWDY.

ELECTRIC GASLIGHTER.

APPLlcATlou msn usc. 2z. 1an.

ll ,3 1 2,622. Patemed Aug. 12, 1919.

25 ROYHDWW D/Q/ wa {16M/l )QM anun,

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

BOY F; DOW'DY, 0F ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO SAFETY GAS LIGHTER CORPO- RATION, OF ROAN 01m, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION 0F VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC GASLIGHTER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led December 722, 1917. Serial No. 208,367.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, R01' l. Downr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Electric Gaslghters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric aslighters of the type described in my U. i Letters Patent No. 1,159,908 issued Nov. 9, 1915, and the object. of the same is to provide improvements in the handle and its oontained parts whereby greater durability as well as simplification of manufacture may be obtained. The invention consists of the formation, combination, and arrangement of parts as set forth herein and particularly as pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is in general a longitudinal, sectional view taken along the central axis of the handle and showing the assembled oontents thereof: Fig. 2 is an end View of the outer head of the resistance unit: Fig. 3 is a detached end view of the electric connection used in connection with this head: Fig. 4 is `a. vertical, sectional View of the handle taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an outside or plan view of the entire handle: Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section of the handle and the outer end of the resistance element, taken on the line -I-of Fig. 5. The scale of Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6 is somewhat enlarged over that of Figs. 1 and 5 in: order to show the construction more clearl Re erring to the drawings the handle 7 comprises a hollow body or tube, made of an insulating material such as wood or hard rubber, its ends being closed by an integral head 8 and a removable head 9, the latter beingscrew-threaded to the body of the handle. Contained within this handle is a resistance element 10, leading to the outer end of which is an electric wire 1l which conducts currentfrom the ungrounded side of a house-lightin circuit as described in detail in my earlier patentgabove referred to. This wire passes through an opening in the outer end of the head 9 and is knotted at 12 inside the head to protect the connection between this Wire and the resistance unit from mechanical strains. To the inner end of the resistance unit is attached a currentoonductlng leaf spring 13 which terminates near. to but slightly above the inner end of the electrode 1li, this latter being secured as by presslng, 1n a suitable opening in the lntegral head 8 and extending through that head to the exterior. This electrode is provided with an insulating shield 15 for a portion of its length but both the inner end and the outer point of the electrode are exposed.

r["he entire resistance unit with the leaf spring attached to it are adapted to be entered in the outer end of the handle and pos1tioned between the inner end of the reslstance unit and the inner end of the electrode is a push button 16 which is disposed in and extends through the wall of the handle. This push 'button is constructed of insulating material and at its inner end is provided with a way or channel 17 through which lthe leaf spring is inserted as the handle is entered, thus serving to stay the resistan unit against rotation within the handle. At the same time the leaf spring prevents the removal or loss of the push' button. This channel 17 is formed by bradding a fiber washer 18 to the bottom of the push button, the shims or spacers 19 at the edges serving to provide the necessary opening for the leaf spring. When the button is despressed from the outside the free end of the leaf spring is brought into contact wlth the electrode and the circuit completed thereto.

The resistance unit 10 is formed with a core or s ool 20 of insulating material, havlng a slightly enlarged head at each end, these also being formed of insulating material. These heads are of 'such size as to fit snugly within the cavity of the handle. A

bolt 21 passes longitudinally through a oentrai hole in the core and through both heads, the head of the boltbeing let into the outer face of the outer head 22. At the inner end of the bolt and on the inner face of the inner head 23 the leaf spring 18 is secured beneath` the nut 24 of this bolt and the entire device may thus be drawn firmly together by means of this single bolt. In order, however, that current mayr not pass through this bolt and short-circuit the .resistance wire the outer face of the head 22 is covered with a circular shield 25 of insulating material which entirely overlies the same and-covers the bolt head. This shield is secured to the head' 22 by means of a pair of spaced bolts 26 which are isolated from the central bolt and which pass in a reverse direction through the head 22, the heads of these bolts being slightl let into the inne'r face of this head but pre erably projecting inwardly a slight distance also in order to form anchors where they are compressed or drawn against the outer end of the core 20. By drawing up the nuts 27 of these bolts the shield may be secured to the head 22. This shield is made of slightly larger diameter than Vthe cavity 'of the handle and its edges overlie the outer end of the same. VVhen'the head 9 is screwed up the shield is firmly held in place and the entire resistance unit thus held against longitudinal displacement within the handle.

Encircling both of the bolts 26 and forming a washer for the nuts 27 is a loop 28 which also forms an electric connector. The end of the wire 11 terminates and is secured beneath this washer and is anchored by one of the nuts 27. 4Anchored beneath the other nut 27 and beneath the washer 28 is the outer end of a length off resistance wire 29 which then asses through slots in the edge of the shield) 25 and head 22 and is wrapped in a spaced helical path upon the surface of the core 20, between the heads 22 and 23, the inner end of the resistance wire being secured beneath theleaf spring by means of the bolt 21. After being wrap ed upon the coil 20 the resistance wire and t 1e s ool is coated with varnish or the like and t ere is then applied over the wire a wrapper 30 of sheet asbestos or other h eat insulatm and current 'insuiatin material, thus maintaining the spacing o the wire upon the spool and protecting the handle from noticeable heat when used for short y periods only.

I have thus described an embodiment of my invention. Other embodiments within the scope df the appended claims are possible without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim, v

1. In an electric gaslighter, a tubular handle having an opening in one of its ends, a removable head for normally closing thc said opening and means for securing it to the handle, a resistance unit within the cavity of the handle, the same having a portion of substantially the same cross section as the cavity of the handle, there being another portion at the outer end of the unit formed of greater dimension 4than the said cavity and adapted to ovcrlie the end of the tube, and to restrain the unit against inward movement, the said head being formed to restrain the unit against outward movement. l

2.1 au electric gaslightcr. a tubular handle having an opening m nur 0f its ends, a removable head adapted to normally close the said opening, means for securing the head to thehandle, a resistance unit disposed within the handle, the same including a core with an insulating head at its outer 1 end of such size as to fit snugly within the overlie the end of the handle 1n such manner as to restrain the entire unit against inward movement, there belng also coactin ,means between the shield and the head o 'the handle for restraining the entire unit against outward movement.

3, In an electric gaslghter a tubular handle having a head at each end, at least one olf which is removable, a resistance unit within the cavity of the handle and formed to be entered endwise therein, means passing through the removableA head for connecting the outer end of the unit 'with an outside source of electric energy, an electrode protruding from theopposite end of the handle, a leaf spring extending from the inner end of the unit to adjacent the lnner end of the electrode but normally out of contact therewith, a push button extending through the wall of the handle between the unit and the electrode and adapted when depressed to defiect the leali spring into contact with the electrode, the said push button havin an opening through its lower end and t e leaf spring being disposed within the opening.

fr. In an electric gasli hter, a resistance unit embodying a cylin rical core of insulating material pierced alon its lon itudinal axis, a head of insulating material disposed at each endof the core a threaded securing bolt havin itsv head let into the outer face of one o the heads and passing therethrou h and throu h the said hole in the core, t e other headr being screwed on the thread ofl the said bolt, ,said bolt being supplied also with a clamping nut on the outer face of the last mentioned head, a shield of insulating material disposed over the outer face of the first head and covering the bolt head, a pair olf additional bolts spaced away from the said central bolt and ada ted to hold the said shield against the hea a current-conducting washer encir the two additional bo ts and disposed clin on tie outer face of the shield, nuts on the outer ends of the two additional bolts, a length of resistance wire disposed on the said core between its heads, the one end of which being anchored b one ofV thesaid two shield bolts, the ot 1er end being anchored by the nut on the end of the central bolt, a conductin wire connecting the resistance unit witi a source of electric energy, the end of the saine being anchoredl roo by the other of the shield bolts, an electrode adapted to be brought into contact with the metal of a as burner,-and means for connecting the inner end olf the resistance unit with the electrode, said means being also anchored by the nut on the inner end of the central bolt.

5. In an electric gaslig'hter, a tubular handle having a removable head at one end, means for securing the head to the handle, a resistance unit within the cavity of the handle, means eoaetng between the removable head and the outer end of the unit for securing the unit ya inst endwise movement within the han le, an electrode rotrudin from the other end 0f the hand e, a movab e elemenbttached to the inner end of the unit and adapted to be brought into electrical contact with the electrode, means to the exterior of the handle for 20 extending so deflectln the movable element, and means ooactin with the last-mentioned means for preventlng the rotation of the unit Within the handle.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature. 25

ROY F. DOWDY. 

